Lex Med Blog

Dr. Robert Leonardi of Lexington Cardiology

We asked Dr. Leonardi why he chose to pursue cardiology and what he likes about the job.

LMC: Why did you want to become a doctor?
Dr. Leonardi: I was a wildlife biology major at Clemson and thought I would pursue a career managing private hunting and fishing properties. But during an animal physiology class, I became interested in cardiac physiology. That’s when I started working toward medical school.

LMC: When did you know that you wanted to be an interventional cardiologist?
Dr. Leonardi: In medical school, I was working a shift in the emergency room when a hospital employee suffered a STEMI, one of the most dangerous types of heart attacks, where an artery is completely blocked. I was able to observe the cardiologists unblock the artery in a catheterization lab procedure. Their work produced an immediate result, stopping a life-threatening heart attack.

LMC: What are your favorite parts of the job?
Dr. Leonardi: I’ve completed fellowships in interventional cardiology and structural interventional cardiology. I enjoy performing procedures that can help fix problems related to the structure of the heart and the heart valves.

Lexington Cardiology has two locations.

Downtown Columbia
2601 Laurel Street
Suite 260
Columbia, SC 29204
(803) 744-4900

West Columbia
131 Sunset Court
West Columbia, SC 29169
(803) 744-4940

lmcLexingtonCardiology.com

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Each year, more than 2,000 South Carolinians are diagnosed with colon cancer and 800 die from the disease. But it’s also one of the most preventable forms of cancer – and treatable when detected early. Unfortunately, not everyone receives proper screening.

That’s why Lexington Medical Center will host its fifth annual Colon Cancer Challenge bike ride on Saturday, March 29, 2014. All proceeds will go to the LMC Colon Cancer Fund. Hundreds of people participate in the event each year.

“Lexington Medical Center is pleased that the Colon Cancer Challenge helps to provide colonoscopies for people in need in our community,” said Barbara Willm, vice president of Community Relations at Lexington Medical Center.

The Colon Cancer Challenge is set for March 29, 2014. The one-day bicycling event will feature 65-, 50-, 25- and 15- and 5-mile rides. Everything begins and ends at Dutch Fork Middle School, located at 1528 Old Tamah Road in Irmo.

Registration begins at 7:00 a.m. The 65- and 50-mile rides begin at 8:00 a.m; the 25-mile ride at 8:30 a.m; the15-mile ride at 9:30 a.m; and the 5-mile ride at 10:00 a.m. Lunch for bike riders will be served at 11:00 a.m.

60-, 50-, 25- and 15-mile Bike Rides: Early Registration: $35. After March 14: $40. Day of Event: $45. 5-mile Bike Ride: Early Registration: $20. After March 14: $25. Day of Event: $30.

This year’s Colon Cancer Challenge will also be a special tribute to Edwin Hudson, MD, a Lexington Medical Center radiologist and avid bike rider, who was killed in a tragic cycling accident last year.

Learn more and register here.

Here are some colon cancer facts from the American College of Gastroenterology:
· Colon cancer is the only form of cancer that is preventable.
· The best way to screen for colon cancer is a colonoscopy, which is an examination of the large intestine using a lighted tube.
· Colonnoscopy is among the most powerful tools in clinical medicine, because of its excellent potential to identify and permit removal of polyps before they turn into cancer.
· In general, doctors recommend that people undergo a colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at age 50. African-Americans should begin screening at age 45.
· Early detection and intervention can reduce mortality from colon cancer by up to 90%.